Take-up mechanism for sewing-machines.



'No. 696,87l. Patented Apr. l,- I902. J. L. KIEFFER. TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1901.)

3.8heetg-8heet I.

(No Model.)

Wi messes Attorneys 114: News PETERS co. PHOYO-UTHQ, vmsmnorou, o. c.

Patented Apr. I902.

' J. L. KIEFFEH.

TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINE S.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1901.)

3 Sheets-$heet 2 (No Model.)

Witnesses m N u H Attorneys m: NORRIS Pains co. PHoro-umo WASHINGYON, u. c

UNITED STATES ATENT Trice,

JOSEPH LOUIS KIEFFER, OF MONTREAL, CANAD A.

TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 69 6,871, dated April 1, 1902.

Original application filed August 24, 1901, Serial No. 73,201. Divided and this application filed November 14,1901. Serial (No model.)

To (LU whom it 71mg concern.-

Be itknown that I, JOSEPH Louis KIEFFER, a subject of His Majesty the King of Great Britain, residing in the city and district of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Take-Up Mechanism for Scwi ng-lllachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates toa take-up mechanism for sewing-machines of the class used in sewing boots and shoes by a single waxedthread chainstitch, and it is a division of a prior application for shoe-sewing machines filed by me in the United States Patent Office on the 2-lth day of August, 1901., Serial No. 73,201.

The machines on which this invention is designed as an improvement employ a stitchforming mechanism embracing a curved hooked needle and a gyratory'looper adapted to lay a single waxed thread around the looper and to form a chain of stitch-loops which are drawn taut; a slidable presser-foot which during the stitch-forming operation is held firmlyin a locked position and is also adapted to yield backwardly a limited distance; a channel-guide and a reciprocatory curved aw], which are adapted to have a crosswise or lateral movement given thereto for the purpose of feeding the work the distance of one stitch; a yieldable gage against which the work may rest, and a normally active tension device situated adjacent to the wax-melting pot and having its parts arranged to exert a comparatively strong tension on the thread, said tension device being releasable only at the period when it is desired to remove the Work from the machine. \Vith the stitchforming mechanism of prior machines of the class described is associated a th read-take-u p mechanism which becomes operative to draw the slack thread and to tighten a freshly-laid stitch-loop around a stitclrloop previously formed, so as to interlock the stitches.

The improved thread-take-up mechanism of the present invention is situated quite re mote from the curved needle and preferably circumstances the two ratchets from turning in a backward direction, and with the other ratchet is adapted to engage an automatic pawl which at properintervals prevents either ratchet-from turning, such locking of the ratchets by the automatic pawl taking place at that period when the freshly-laid stitch-loop is cast off from thecnrved needle and when the waxed thread is about to be drawn tightly around the previously-formed stitch-loop. The automatic pawl isimpelled in one direction by a spring, and it is operatively connected with a rocker, the latter having an arm provided with a curved track-surface that is offset at its outer extremity. On this track surface is adapted to ride a roller-shoe, which is mounted on a bell-crank lever that is furnished at its free end with an antifrictionroller arranged to ride in a cam-groove on one of theseries of machine-cams which are carried by the cam-shaft. Said cam is arranged and timed to actuate the rocker in a peculiar manner-that is to say, the automatic pawl is restrained from engagement With the ratchets during the period that the curved needle is forced through the stock and is retracted partially therefrom; but at the time when the slack thread should be taken up the automatic pawl is allowed to engage with the ratchets, so as to lock both of them against rotation. At this time the thread-engaging fork becomes active to take 11 p the slack thread The invention further consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts comorisin the im roved take-u mechanism, as

will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings hereto annexed, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation looking at one side of the machine. Fig. 2 is another elevation looking at the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through a portion of the rear of the machine. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectionin theplane of the dotted line 4 4 on Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail sectional elevations in the planes of the dotted lines 5 5 and 6 6, respectively, on Fig.4,each looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the bell-crank le-' .ver which is actuated by one of the machinecams and which occupies an operative relation to certain parts comprising the improved thread-take-up mechanism.

The same numerals of reference denote like parts in each of the several figures of the dra W- ings.

5 designates the cam-shaft, which is journaled in appropriate bearings of the machineframe 6, and said shaft is equipped with a plurality of cams for actuatingthe several working parts of the machine; but as the present invention does not deal with the machine generally I have not considered it neeessary to explain all the cams and the parts which they operate. chine is the looper 8, which is carried by the looper bar or lever 9. On one side of the looper is arranged the aWl-bar10,adapted to carrythe curved awl11. The channel-guide 12 lies adjacent to the curved needle 13, the latter being of the general type having the hook. A work-gage 15 lies below the path of the needle, and it is yieldably supported on the main frame by a slidable bar 16, which is normally kept in position by gearing from the spring-drum 17. The presser-foot 18 is arranged above the work-gage and in a position to have operative relation to the curved needle 13, said presser-foot being attached to a bar 19, which is slidably fitted on the machine-frame. Suitable means are provided for locking this presser-foot bar in its advanced position during the stitch -.forming operation, said means generally consisting of the toothed plate 20 and a locking-dog 21, adapted for engagement with said plate. All these parts are ordinary in the'art, and as their construction and mode of operation are well understood I will not further describe the same in this specification.

The curved needle 13 is arranged to play in a needle-guide 22, which has operative connection with a yieldable spindle 23, that is equipped with an arm 24, to the free end of which is attached a spring 25, and in the path of this arm 24 is disposed an adjustable stopplate 26 the Whole forming an improved At the front of the ma needle -guide mechanism which constitutes the subject-matter of my application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 73,201, of which the present application is a division.

27 designates the wax-melting pot, (see Fig. 3,) the same being arranged at the rear side of the machine andadapted to be heated in the usual way for the purpose of keeping the wax in a melted condition.

A chambered bracket 28 furnishes the support for the operating devices of the threadtake-up mechanism, as well as the support for the tension mechanism and certain other parts which cooperate with said mechanisms. This bracket is secured to the rear part of the ma- 7 chine-framein anysuitable way, anditis provided with a chamber 29, into which projects the gas-burner 30, the heat from which maintains the bracket in a hot condition when the machine is in operation, as is required in waxed-thread sewing-machines. The rear part of the bracket supports a spindle 31, on which is loosely mounted a tension-wheel 32, the latter having a peripheral groove 33,Which is adapted to have the waxed thread coiled or wrapped thereon, as shown by Fig. 3. Said tension-wheel forms one part of the normally active thread-tension mechanism, the latter including a friction-disk, which is loosely mounted on a suitable spindle and is normally pressed by a coiled spring into tight frictional engagement with the tension-wheel, said spring being held in place by a suitable hand-wheel. The normally active tension mechanism is well known to those skilled in w the art and is fully disclosed by my concurrent application, Serial No. 73,201.

The machine frame is provided with a thread passage or tube 34, (see Fig. 3,) the same extendingfrom the rear part of the machine to the front part thereof in order to properly guide the thread to thelooper 8, and in the rear end of said thread passage or tube is arranged a guide-roller 35, beneath which the waxed thread is adapted to pass, as shown by Fig. 3. The tension-Wheel 32 overhangs the mouth of the melting-pot 27, so that the thread will pass in a straight direction from the pot to the grooved edge of the tensionwheel, around which said thread is wrapped one or more times and from which the thread passes to the take-up mechanism of my invention and to certain other devices which will be hereinafter described.

The chambered bracket 28 is provided with an upstanding post 36, in the upper part of which is secured a horizontal arbor 37, that is held in place by a clamping-screw 38, as shown more clearly by Fig. 4. Loosely mounted on this arbor are the ratchet-wheels 39 40, forming the compound ratchet of the threadtake-up mechanism. (See Figs. 4, 5, and 6.)

The ratchet-wheels are arranged side by side in close lateral relation and secured firmly together by the screws 41, which pass therethrough. The connected ratchet-Wheels are held against displacement on the arbor by the post 36 and by a nut 42, which is screwed on the inner end of said arbor, so that the ratchetwheelswill be free to rotate idly on the arbor. The ratchet-wheel'39 is provided with a continuous series of teeth which face in one di rection, while the other ratchet 40 is provided with a like series of teeth that face in an opposite direction. The last-mentioned ratchet 40 is also provided with a peripheral groove 43, which is adapted to receive the thread, that may be coiled any desired number of times in said groove. With the teeth of the ratchet-wheel40 normally engages a check pawl 44, thatis pivoted at on the post 36 and is held in its operative position by a leaf-spring 46, that is also secured to the post,

(see Fig. 6,) said check-pawl serving to prevent the compound ratchet from rotating in a backward direction.

47 designates the automatic pawl, which is of the curved form shown more clearly by Figs. 3 and 5, and this pawl is pivoted'at a spring exerts its tension on the pawl in a manner to hold the latter in engagement with the ratchet 39 at certain periods in the operation of. the take-up mechanism.

5O designates arocker, the same consisting of two arms arranged at an angle to each other and one of said arms having operative connection with the heel of theautomatic pawl 47. (See Figs. 3 and 5.) One arm ofthis rocker is fulcru med, as at 51, on the outstanding lug 52 ot' the post 36, and this arm of the rocker is provided with a rounded head 53, that is fitted in a rounded recess 54 in the heel of the automatic pawl 47, thus loosely and operatively connecting the rocker to the automatic pawl. The other arm of the rocker extends outwardly from the lug 52 on the post, and this arm of said rocker is formed with a curved track-surface 55, which is offset or curved upwardly, as at 56 in Fig. 3. By connecting the rocker operatively with the pawl the spring 49, which is connected to said pawl, is made to serve as the means for holding the arm, which is provided with the track and offset surfaces, in the path of a roller-shoe 57, the latter being loosely supported bya screw 58 on an angular lever 59, as shown more clearly by Fig. 7. A horizontal spindle or arbor passes through and is supported by the machine-frame 6, said arbor or spindle lying in a plane below the main shaft 5. The angular lever 59 is provided with a hollow boss or hub 61, the latter being loosely fitted on one end of the arbor or spindle 60 and held from displacement thereon by a nut 62. (See Fig. 1.) The upper inwardly-extending end of this. angular lever 59 is providedwith a trundle-roller 62, that is fitted loosely in an irregular cam-groove 63,which A coiled V the compound ratchet to the roller 35.

CD LP is formed in one of the cams 64, secured on the main shaft 5, said cam-groove having the offset or high part 64. (See Fig. 1.) The angular lever 59 is adapted to remain in a stationary position during the greater part of the revolution of the take up mechanism cam 64, and the roller-shoe 57 at the free end of said lever 59 is thus-adapted to occupy a position on the offset portion 56'of the camtrack, which is provided on one arm of the rocker'50, as best shown by Fig. 3, thereby holding the automatic pawl free from engagement with the teeth of the member 39 of the compound ratchet. When the trundleroller 62 is acted on by the high part 64 of the take-upmechanism cam 64, the angular lever 59 is rocked on the axis afforded by the spindle 60, and the roller-shoe 57 is made to traverse the track-surface 55 of the rocker 50, thereby withdrawing said roller-shoe'57' from the offset part 56 of the rockerand making the-parts assume the position shown by Fig. 3, whereby therocker is released'from the restraint of the lever 59 and the shoe 58 and the spring 49 becomes active to move the automatic pawl into engagement with the compound ratchet, thus locking said ratchet against rotation on the axis afforded by the arbor 37 and preventing a continuous move ment of the thread around said compound ratchet. Theangularlever59isfurthermore provided at its free end with an inwardlyextending footpiece 65, to which is attached the'screw 58, that loosely connects the rollershoe 57 to the angular lever. This footpiece 65 lies alongside of 'the inner edge of that arm of the rocker 50 which is formed with a track-surface, and said footpiece is provided with a crotch 66, through which the thread is adapted to pass beforeit enters the thread tube or passage 34. (SeeFi'g. 3.) In the embodiment of the invention shown by Fig. 7 the footpiece is formed witha ledge or shoulder 67, having an aperture adapted to receive the stem 68 of the thread-fork'69, said stem being clamped adjustably to the footpiece by the set-screw 70. The threadfork is equipped with a sheave 71, that lies in ad Vance of the 'crotch'66, andover this sheave is adapted to pass the thread after it leaves the compound ratchet. From this description it will be understood that the threadfork is mounted on the angular lever 59, so as to be movable therewith in an up-and- ICO It's

down direction and also in a back-and -forth direction between the compound ratchet and the roller 35 in the thread-tube. The roller 71 of the thread-fork lies above the loweredge of the compound ratchet, and said roller and the thread-fork occupy a position between the compound ratchet and the roller 35, whereby the thread-fork and itsroller 71' are adapted to move across the path of the'thread as it travels from the grooved membe'r40 of is an important feature of the thread-take u p mechanism, because the upward and rear- This tomatically taken up and drawn backwardlyfrom the needle at the period when the loop is cast off from said needle, said thread-takeup mechanism thus becoming efiective at the period when the freshly-laid loop shall have been passed through the previous loop, and thus serves to draw the previous loop to a taut condition and to thereby secure the desired interlocking of the thread-loops. Previous to the next advancement of the curved needle the lever 59 moves so as to advance the roller 57 from the track-surface 55 back to the offset 56 thereof, thereby releasing the pawl 47 from engagement with the compound ratchet, lowering the thread-fork 69 to normal position, and allowing the ratchet to turn in one direction, so as to advance the proper length of thread.

Theneedle-actuating lever 72 has a rearwardly-extending arm 73, provided with a depending fork 74. The fork is'adjustably clamped to the arm 73 and is formed with a stud or roller 75. These parts constitute certain elements of the pull-off mechanism, and other elements of this pull-off mechanism are the lever 76, having the stud or roller 77 and connected by a link 78 with the rear end of the presser-foot bar 19. This pull-off mechanism forms the subjectnnatter of a separate application, which is filed by me of even date herewith, Serial No. 82,288.

The tension mechanism herein illustrated forms the subject of another copending application filed by me of even date herewith, Serial No. 82,289, to which reference may be had for a description of this mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a sewing-machine of the class described, a thread-loop-take-up mechanism comprising a revoluble member having a face adapted for engagement by the thread, a lever, a thread-pulling fork carried by the lever and arranged to be moved thereby across the path of the thread leaving said revoluble member on its way to the stitch mechanism, and means caused to be operated by the motion of said lever to lock the revoluble member against rotation during such traversing movement of the thread-pulling fork, substantially as described.

2. In a sewing-machine of the class described, a thread-loop-take-up mechanism comprising a compound-ratchet mechanism having means for preventing rotation thereof in one direction and also provided with a thread -'engaging face, an automatic pawl adapted to lock said ratchet against rotation in an opposite direction, a rocker engaging with said automatic pawl,.a lever riding upon the rocker, and means for taking up the slack thread atthe same time that the ratchet is locked by the automatic pawl, substantially as described. I

3. In a sewingmachine of the class described, a thread-loop-take-up mechanism comprisingacompound ratchet, a check-pawl engaging with one ratchet member, an automatic pawl adapted to engage with the other ratchet member, a rocker having an offset on the track-surface thereof and operatively connected with the automatic pawl, a lever arranged to ride on the track-surface of the rocker and adapted to normally rest on the offset thereof, and means for pulling up the slack thread from the needle on the locking engagement of the automatic pawl with said ratchet, substantially as described.

4. In a sewing-machine of the class described, a thread -loop-take-up mechanism comprising a compound ratchet,a check-pawl, an automatic pawl, a rocker connected with the automatic pawl, a cam-actuated lever provided with a footpiece and with a shoe which rides on the rocker, and a thread-pulling fork extending from the footpiece and movable with the lever, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH LOUIS KIEFFER.

Witnesses:

J. A. MARION, J. E1) PAGE. 

